BCHL Bulletin, Coastal Conference, CSSHL, ECHL, Interior Conference, NAHL, NCAA, WHL

BCHL Today: Clippers add Noel from the NAHL, Ward joins the Centennials, and more

Written by Brian Wiebe on

Noel heads west to Nanaimo for 2021-22

The Nanaimo Clippers announced the signing of 2001-born defenseman Andrew Noel for the 2021-22 BC Hockey League season.

Noel, who hails from Maynard, MA, had two goals and 15 points in 56 games as an alternate captain with the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League in 2020-21.

Cents bring in a familiar surname in Ward

2005-born defenseman Sam Ward of Kamloops, BC has committed to the Merritt Centennials for the 2020-21 season. His brother Ben is entering his fourth season playing for Merritt.

Ward spent the 2020-21 season with Delta Hockey Academy U16 Prep of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League and posted two goals and an assist in four games.

Wild trade for a proven scorer in Danis

The Wenatchee Wild has acquired 2001-born Alexandre Danis from the Swan Valley Stampeders of the MJHL for 2001-born defenseman Jerrett Overland.

Danis, who’s from Calgary, AB, had seven goals and 14 points in nine games with the Stampeders during the 2020-21 season before it was shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions. He then joined the USPHL Premier’s Pueblo Bulls and posted four goals and an assist.

Overland spent the 2020-21 season with the Jersey Hitmen of the National Collegiate Development Conference and tallied three assists in 13 games.

Bulldogs roster starts to take shape

The Alberni Valley Bulldogs unveiled a handful of news items in their “Next Generation” feature on the BCHL website. Among the news is the confirmed return of 2001-born forward and Bentley University commit Stephen Castagna and 2002-born forward and Clarkson University commit Brandon Buhr.

Castagna was fourth in BCHL scoring in 2020-21 with 29 points in 20 games while Buhr was sixth in league scoring with 28 points in 20 games. Castagna was expected to head to school this fall, but his arrival has been deferred a year. Buhr’s commitment has always been for September 2022.

The Bulldogs have also added five recruits that weren’t previously announced:

Meyer joins the Norfolk Admirals

Defenseman Paul Meyer (eight goals, 26 assists in 58 games with Alberni Valley in 2015-16) has signed with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals for 2021-22.

He spent most of the 2020-21 season with Macon of the Southern Professional Hockey League and posted nine points in 31 games. The 24-year-old from Edina, MN had a goal in three games with South Carolina of the ECHL and no points in a pair of games with Orlando of the ECHL.

Hunt heads to Romania for the upcoming season

ASC Corona Brasov of Erste Liga in Romania added some toughness to its lineup with the addition of forward Garet Hunt (seven goals, six assists in 62 games with Chilliwack from 2003-04), who is the ECHL’s all-time penalty minute king.

Hunt, 33, had one goal and two assists in seven games with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL in 2020-21.